Whenever we find inspiring information or inspiring people that we believe have something of value to offer…something that can truly Elevate Your Life… we feel an obligation to share with you.
Today we are very excited to share one of our “Inspirations” with you. We would like to introduce you to Kevin Klein, father, author and creator and owner of the self help site www.theroadtofindout.com and our dear friend and fellow SI Coach. We hope you enjoy him and his writing as much as we do.
There is an old adage that goes, “You are what you eat.” And then there’s this idea in the Bible, Proverbs Chapter 23, Verse 7; “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Or to state it as a comparable vernacular adage: “You are what you think.”
“You are what you eat” is certainly a good maxim to keep in mind when considering our physical health and well being. Likewise, “You are what you think” is a worthy thought in and of itself when we consider our mental well being. Yet, neither one can stand in isolation and neither one is by any means complete and all inclusive.
Both “You are what you eat” and “You are what you think” simply focus our attention on the choices we make at the beginning of the complex inter-connected passageways through which “digestion” (both physical and mental) takes place. And there’s a lot more to what we eat or think than you might realize. Let’s look at how this works with food.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
Most, if not all of the food we eat (bread, fruit, vegetable, meat, etc.) is not in a form that our bodies can readily use. It must be broken down into smaller components to become nourishment for the body. Through the process of digestion we extract energy from what we eat and, when broken apart, the smaller molecular components become the raw material we use to build and repair our cells and organs.
Our bodies are literally constructed on the molecular level from the very proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals that we eat. And the artificial flavors, food colorings, preservatives, herbicides and pesticides that far too often tag along in our industrialized processed food.
Miraculously, our digestive system is exceptionally resilient and creative. It finds as much nourishment as possible in whatever we feed ourselves and figures out what to do with all the useless garbage we send through the mill.
Stating the obvious, if we want to be healthy and build healthy bodies, we need to supply our digestive factories with grade A raw material. As my mother was fond of saying, “You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.” I’m sure you already know that simple, whole and fresh foods supply the highest quality and healthiest raw material. When we make these our primary food sources we are choosing empirically to be the best we can be from the molecular level on up.
WHAT WE EAT CAN BE AFFECTED BY HOW WE EAT
But even the best raw materials can be mishandled, producing less than ideal final products.
Our bodies (and in this case specifically our digestive system) operate holistically. Our experiences while we eat can be just as important as the foods we are consuming. An argument over the dinner table, a harried lunch between classes, absent-mindedly eating while watching a ball game, wolfing down a quick snack in a chaotic environment; all of these situations do not go unnoticed by the cells in our bodies. The chemicals of these emotions course through our bodies and our digestive systems disrupting the working balance. As a result, we are not able to optimally digest our food.
Here are a few tips to optimize digestion:
• Always eat in a calm, pleasant atmosphere
• Never eat when you’re upset.
• Always sit down to eat, but not in front of your computer or TV!
• Never eat while driving
• Always eat at a moderate pace. Take your time and enjoy your food!
Eating simple, fresh whole foods in the best of circumstances allows our bodies to become the healthiest they possible can be: perfectly balanced bio-chemical machines.
But is that all we are? Proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals?
WE EAT MORE THAN JUST MOLECULES
According to the Kabbalistic teachings of ARI Hakodosh (Isaac Luria Ashkenazi 1534-1572), the world is composed of sparks, called rafach. There is nothing in the world that is not made up of these sparks. These sparks originated before the creation of our world and form the created matter from which our world is made. In fact, these sparks allow matter to exist. As the Kabbalists say “if there is matter there is rafach.”
In other words, our food is more than just molecules. Anything and everything we eat is imbued with these cosmic sparks. Or to put it another way: elemental fragments of spiritual energy.
These sparks are not the same as the energy we measure with calories. On the physical level, two foods may offer an equal number of calories. And in measuring the crude chemical power in food, calories is an adequate scale. However, while the total caloric energy of an apple might be exactly the same as that of a Twinkie, the spiritual energy (spark/rafach) of that apple has far greater life giving power than that of the Twinkie.
The differences in this quality of energy between foods isn’t as easily discerned as fresh is better than frozen; organic is better than sustainably grown; cooked at home is better than cooked in a restaurant. The nature of this kind of energy that we consume is such that it can be added to, subtracted from or altered in food by its own power; or consumed alone in another form of itself entirely — as Thought.
WE EAT THOUGHTS
Consider this: You’ve got a cold. Mom makes you some chicken soup.
From reading popular magazines you have learned that Mom’s homemade chicken soup has been proven to have specific healthy attributes measured in vitamins and minerals. Scientists have assayed the Vitamin C, amino acids and other trace elements in chicken soup and researchers agree that chicken soup helps reduce the severity of colds.
Because of this, you know Mom’s chicken soup is going to make you feel better.
That’s a thought. And your the one who puts it into your soup.
But there’s more to that chicken soup than broth and vegetables. Your mother loves you. Her chicken soup didn’t come from a can. She boils a chicken to make a broth; peels and cuts carrots and potatoes; shells fresh peas; slices some onion; crushes some garlic; and sprinkles in her own special seasonings that makes it taste just the way Mom’s chicken soup always has. She knows you’ll like it and she believes it will make you feel better.
That’s a thought. And your Mom is the one who puts it into your soup.
We can look back even further, if we want to. We can trace the food chain all the way to the farms where the chicken was raised and the vegetables cultivated to observe the thoughts that accompany our future meal. How do the farmers treat their livestock and produce? Are the chickens allowed to roam, feed freely and be as healthy and happy as a chicken can be? Are the vegetables grown with the intention to yield the most nutritious crop, or just the most profitable? What kind of treatment do all of these ingredients receive along the way?
There is a lot more to consider about what we eat and what we think.
But for now, just consider this as food for thought.
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About The Author: Kevin Klein For most of my life I’ve been curious about one over-riding question in every aspect of my life: “How can this be better?”And I’m betting that if you’re reading this, you are on The Road to Find Out how to make something in your life better. So, what is it that you’re curious about? Better health and wellness? Better relationships? Better career and finances? Better personal growth and understanding? Whatever it is and wherever you are on your Road to Find Out, I know you can find a better way. My mission is to offer helpful directions to anyone on the Road who stops to ask. For more about Kevin Klein Please visit: http://www.theroadtofindout.com
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